Republican state legislators across the country have embraced an aggressively regressive agenda, targeting the LGBTQ community, abortion access, voting rights, and candid discussions of race in classrooms.
I think that the Republican "platform" can be summed up succinctly by the following: "Make voting just about impossible for minorities; make guns impossible to avoid."
1% corps, 700 billionaires, 74 million Trump voters and the GOP in hot pursuit of minority rule. Thick group of thieves and not much is going to stop them. Are we like Rome at the end of the Republic?
Aren't the Republicans always crying about how they are being silenced by the mainstream media, academia, etc and leaning on Freedom of Speech as the reason they should be able to say mean, hateful and untrue things?
It appears that in order to have their voices heard, they must first "prohibit any discussion" that they deem indecent or otherwise unacceptable. To do that, they are using the government (which they hate) to silence people (that they hate) and effectively kill speech (in the name of "freedom") and I'm sure the irony is completely lost on them.
We all know large political donors annually give in the tens of millions to PACs directly, and to both political parties. But it's only when they give lopsided amounts do we know who they really support. Or at least we may know which party or PAC applies the most pressure. So while Disney spends over 20 million on lobbying in 2021, it only donated $60,000 in kind to RSLC, and now says will suspended its annual $millions in political donations to Florida politicians, and just committed $5 million to LGBTQ groups.
Maybe a comparison of gross totals to both sides might tell us how they really feel (assuming these fuckers really feel anything).
Just more evidence that the corporations/wealthy involved in support of the Republican Party are birds of a feather and more interested in continued support of those that cater to their ill gotten gains... over the rights, freedoms, and future welfare of the general population and the country.
Democrats had that potential, and lost it years ago, and now play for the opposing team (voters) because it is the opposing team (the opposing team of non-wealthy concerned empathic citizens). Being an independent and reviewing the individuals running for office based on their legal and concerned performance allows one some freedom to make the best of choices from the worst of options as opposed to fanatical cult crazed political party members who have no valid evidenced excuse for who or what they are voting for.
The danger of letting ultra right wingers own most of the media is obvious. But can we overcome it? It feels like we’re living in opposite world with Republicans controlling the airwaves. Targeting these corporations for their contributions is a good way to get at the source of funding but they constantly go back to donating once they think the story has faded.
Dems need to pull out all stops just like Rs do to shove their agendas through. Buy off lobbyists, politicians…whatever ruthless means they need to do. Time to use the Rs playbook to undo the damage! Most of all indict and imprison Trump et al! Evidence is abundant!
That the RSLC is sponsored by major corporations doesn’t surprise me. Look what had happened to Disney for standing up for LGBTQ+ people.
Where I live, we’ve been seeing School Board Meeting disrupted by unruly crowds shouting about “grooming” and pedophilia because they don’t like language that includes LQBTQ+ and Trans people and by gum they say the only way is for everybody to follow white, straight, church-going folks like them. They want to erase LGBTQ+ and Trans people by not allowing their children to at least get some discussion that there are different types of families.
Corporations support the RSLC because they support white, straight, and church-going and because they are calculating that is all that counts for their bottom line, which is profits.
In a Country with many types of minorities, we are backsliding to Donna Reed and Leave It To Beaver and probably worse than that.
Anthem, WalMart, Eli Lily and the US Chamber of Commerce prove the axiom that talk is cheap. They can pump out all the nice-sounding platitudes they want, but when it actually comes to their money, they show where their priorities are.
I appreciate that your focus is on corporate donors and applaud your tream over and over for your tireless research and courageous publication!
On the other hand, as I read this article one question comes to mind: Do the Democrats not have a similar organization to the RSLC? Republicans seem to run their political party like a business with deep pockets - methodical & organized with a well-defined mission; we know who is ultimately in charge and it isn't the RSLC leadership team. Democrats seem to run their political party like a junior high cheerleading team - infighting, more chaotic, lack of leadership. And I am a democrat! When that question is posed, the answer is usually ' democracy is messy.' But in the face of the opposition does it have to be this messy??
This is not classic, old school, “transparent” corruption in which an entity pays a politician for preferential treatment and as such an understandable if deplorable business strategy. Supporting social policy driven organizations like the RSLC has no place in a business plan, especially when the company presents an opposite public image. Thank you or your diligence in calling out these behaviors!
I think that the Republican "platform" can be summed up succinctly by the following: "Make voting just about impossible for minorities; make guns impossible to avoid."
1% corps, 700 billionaires, 74 million Trump voters and the GOP in hot pursuit of minority rule. Thick group of thieves and not much is going to stop them. Are we like Rome at the end of the Republic?
Aren't the Republicans always crying about how they are being silenced by the mainstream media, academia, etc and leaning on Freedom of Speech as the reason they should be able to say mean, hateful and untrue things?
It appears that in order to have their voices heard, they must first "prohibit any discussion" that they deem indecent or otherwise unacceptable. To do that, they are using the government (which they hate) to silence people (that they hate) and effectively kill speech (in the name of "freedom") and I'm sure the irony is completely lost on them.
We all know large political donors annually give in the tens of millions to PACs directly, and to both political parties. But it's only when they give lopsided amounts do we know who they really support. Or at least we may know which party or PAC applies the most pressure. So while Disney spends over 20 million on lobbying in 2021, it only donated $60,000 in kind to RSLC, and now says will suspended its annual $millions in political donations to Florida politicians, and just committed $5 million to LGBTQ groups.
Maybe a comparison of gross totals to both sides might tell us how they really feel (assuming these fuckers really feel anything).
Just more evidence that the corporations/wealthy involved in support of the Republican Party are birds of a feather and more interested in continued support of those that cater to their ill gotten gains... over the rights, freedoms, and future welfare of the general population and the country.
Democrats had that potential, and lost it years ago, and now play for the opposing team (voters) because it is the opposing team (the opposing team of non-wealthy concerned empathic citizens). Being an independent and reviewing the individuals running for office based on their legal and concerned performance allows one some freedom to make the best of choices from the worst of options as opposed to fanatical cult crazed political party members who have no valid evidenced excuse for who or what they are voting for.
The danger of letting ultra right wingers own most of the media is obvious. But can we overcome it? It feels like we’re living in opposite world with Republicans controlling the airwaves. Targeting these corporations for their contributions is a good way to get at the source of funding but they constantly go back to donating once they think the story has faded.
Dems need to pull out all stops just like Rs do to shove their agendas through. Buy off lobbyists, politicians…whatever ruthless means they need to do. Time to use the Rs playbook to undo the damage! Most of all indict and imprison Trump et al! Evidence is abundant!
Legislators and political parties can't "buy off" lobbyists. The money is intended to flow the other way.
Yet they do. Call it what you want
Good work!
That the RSLC is sponsored by major corporations doesn’t surprise me. Look what had happened to Disney for standing up for LGBTQ+ people.
Where I live, we’ve been seeing School Board Meeting disrupted by unruly crowds shouting about “grooming” and pedophilia because they don’t like language that includes LQBTQ+ and Trans people and by gum they say the only way is for everybody to follow white, straight, church-going folks like them. They want to erase LGBTQ+ and Trans people by not allowing their children to at least get some discussion that there are different types of families.
Corporations support the RSLC because they support white, straight, and church-going and because they are calculating that is all that counts for their bottom line, which is profits.
In a Country with many types of minorities, we are backsliding to Donna Reed and Leave It To Beaver and probably worse than that.
Anthem, WalMart, Eli Lily and the US Chamber of Commerce prove the axiom that talk is cheap. They can pump out all the nice-sounding platitudes they want, but when it actually comes to their money, they show where their priorities are.
I appreciate that your focus is on corporate donors and applaud your tream over and over for your tireless research and courageous publication!
On the other hand, as I read this article one question comes to mind: Do the Democrats not have a similar organization to the RSLC? Republicans seem to run their political party like a business with deep pockets - methodical & organized with a well-defined mission; we know who is ultimately in charge and it isn't the RSLC leadership team. Democrats seem to run their political party like a junior high cheerleading team - infighting, more chaotic, lack of leadership. And I am a democrat! When that question is posed, the answer is usually ' democracy is messy.' But in the face of the opposition does it have to be this messy??
Judd, I love your blog and I’m a subscriber, but I’ve become so cynical that your headline sounded like something from The Onion.
Thanks for following the money! Well done.
This is not classic, old school, “transparent” corruption in which an entity pays a politician for preferential treatment and as such an understandable if deplorable business strategy. Supporting social policy driven organizations like the RSLC has no place in a business plan, especially when the company presents an opposite public image. Thank you or your diligence in calling out these behaviors!